Whether you want to watch zombies being idols or yakuza being househusbands, there's an anime for everyone in 2021.
2021 is right around the corner, and with it comes a year's worth of brand-new anime. Quite a few anime have been announced already, ranging from entirely original ideas to manga, video game, and light novel-inspired stories. In the following article, we detail our 11 most anticipated anime for 2021.
It's worth pointing out that none of these shows are for-sure confirmed for 2021. We're also not saying that these will definitely be the best anime of 2021 once all is said and done. But each one of these anime are tentatively scheduled for next year, and each has managed to intrigue us. Hopefully, they all live up to expectations.
The Promised Neverland Season 2
One of our favorite anime of 2019, The Promised Neverland isn't your typical shonen anime, putting a heavier reliance on mind games than all-out brawls, leaning into horror, and featuring a female protagonist. But it's because of all these differences that The Promised Neverland is so special.
In The Promised Neverland, Emma is one of the smartest kids at her orphanage, and although no one has chosen to adopt her yet, she thinks of the orphanage's supervisor as her mother. But then Emma learns of a terrible secret connected to the orphanage, and "Mom" is in on it. With the help of her closest friends, Emma will need to trick her cunning caretaker and find a way to escape the only home she's ever known. Season 1 of The Promised Neverland is available on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation, and Hidive.
Zombieland Saga: Revenge
One of our favorite anime of 2018, Zombieland Saga is a mixture of idol anime and zombie horror. This bizarre mixture of tropes produce some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, but the anime isn't all fun and games. It also explores more serious themes, such as struggling with transgender identity, depression, and social anxiety.
In Zombieland Saga, protagonist Sakura is killed by a passing truck on her first day of high school. 10 years later, she's resurrected as a zombie alongside six other girls, and the eccentric necromancer responsible for their current predicament wants the seven to become an idol group. Zombieland Saga: Revenge is the name of the show's second season, but other than the theme being that of, well, revenge, we don't know that much about it. Season 1 of Zombieland Saga is available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Horimiya
Based on the romantic comedy manga of the same name, Horimiya tends to lean more toward depicting the cute antics of two teenagers falling in love as opposed to the escalating drama of two problematic young adults as seen in other series. Which isn't to say that Horimiya doesn't have its stakes, but if you're looking for another Domestic Girlfriend or Sing "Yesterday" For Me, then this series won't give that to you.
In Horimiya, protagonist Hori presents herself as a fashionable, intelligent, and highly capable student, but at home she dresses plainly and lives a rather simple and boring life. Meanwhile, Miyamura, a boy in Hori's class, is regarded by most of his peers as a loser and not one to take notice of, but outside of school, he wears piercings and rolls up his sleeves to reveal a liberal amount of tattoos--plus, once he styles his hair, he's pretty hot. When Hori and Miyamura discover each other's secret home lives, their pact to not tell their fellow students creates a bond between them that slowly blooms into something more.
Dr. Stone: Stone Wars
One of our favorite anime of 2019, Dr. Stone is a lot like The Promised Neverland in that it's a shonen anime that's more concerned with its protagonists solving their problems with their brains as opposed to brawn. The first season of this anime is a bit of a slow burn, but this second season, Dr. Stone: Stone Wars, should punch up the pacing a little bit.
In Dr. Stone, a mysterious light emanates across the world, encasing all humans in stone. Protagonist Senku, an intelligent high school student with a gift for science, finally breaks free of the stone centuries later, and manages to find a way to do the same for his friends. Now stuck in a world resembling the Stone Age in terms of technology, Senku promises that he'll use science to rebuild modern society within decades. Season 1 of Dr. Stone is available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Princess Connect! Re:Dive Season 2
One of the most popular anime of 2020, Princess Connect! Re:Dive is returning for a second season in 2021. A comedy-based fantasy anime, Princess Connect gives off heavy Konosuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World vibes--if Konosuba was reversed and was about an incompetant man and his party of dependable female companions.
In Princess Connect! Re:Dive, protagonist Yuuki falls from the sky and lands in a field, waking up with no memories of who he is or how he got there. But then he's approached by Kokkoro, an elf that informs him that she's his guide to the world. The two eventually meet and befriend swordswoman Pecorine and sorceress Karyl, and the four decide to set out on an adventure together in order to figure out what happened to Yuuki's memories. Season 1 of Princess Connect! Re:Dive is available on Crunchyroll.
The Way Of The Househusband
The Way of the Househusband is hilarious--much in the same way that Zombieland Saga is. But instead of being about zombies who are music idols, The Way of the Househusband is about a yakuza who takes care of all of the everyday tasks associated with owning a house.
In The Way of the Househusband, protagonist Tatsu is a powerful and feared yakuza boss who decides to retire from a life of crime in order to take care of the domestic tasks at home while his wife pursues her career as a designer. Tatsu, however, has been a yakuza for so long that it's really all he knows how to be. So he tackles benign household tasks with the intensity of a crime boss.
Laid-Back Camp Season 2
Another of our favorite anime of 2018, Laid-Back Camp is the perfect show for those looking to just unwind and relax. Laid-Back Camp carries viewers through its lackadaisical pacing with its rambunctious cast, all of whom spend most of the show doing normal, everyday tasks but with a dash of teenage antics and witty humor.
In Laid-Back Camp, protagonists Rin and Nadeshiko have a chance encounter during one of Rin's solo camping trips. Discovering that she likes the idea of camping, Nadeshiko decides to join her high school's camping club. While Nadeshiko makes new friends and enjoys group camping, Rin continues to camp solo. But the two remain in contact with one another, and as they become better friends, they try to push the boundaries of their own comfort level and embrace the other's idea of the ideal camping experience. Season 1 of Laid-Back Camp is available on Crunchyroll.
My Hero Academia Season 5
Given that My Hero Academia Season 2 was our favorite anime of 2017, the show's third season was one of our favorite anime of 2018, and the fourth season was one of our favorite anime of 2019, you can probably guess why we're so excited for Season 5. My Hero Academia is one of the most popular shonen anime out right now, crossing over into mainstream culture and attracting the attention of those who aren't normally into anime.
In My Hero Academia, super powers--known as Quirks--are the norm, with most people born with some sort of special ability. Protagonist Izuku is one of the few born without a Quirk, but he still wants to be a hero like his idol, All Might. When Izuku manages to meet All Might, the young boy's courage impresses the veteran hero, and All Might passes his Quirk onto Izuku. Izuku then enrolls in Japan's most prestigious high school for wannabe superheroes, and begins his training to master one of the world's most powerful Quirks. Seasons 1-4 of My Hero Academia are available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Club
Don't be sad that Haikyu: To The Top ends in 2020 and we now have to wait for who knows how long for Haikyu Season 5. 2021 seems to be giving us more volleyball boys to cheer for in 2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Club.
In 2.43: Seiin High School Boys' Volleyball Club, childhood friends Kimichika and Yunii both play on the titular high school team. Yunii is a gifted volleyball player with a natural talent for the sport, but he easily falls victim to the pressure of not wanting to make mistakes--which, of course, only leads to mistakes. But Kimichika's calm demeanor manages to pull out Yunii's full potential, creating a powerhouse combo. Alongside their upperclassmen, the two boys aim to make their team the best in their prefecture.
Beastars Season 2
The comparison has been made before but it's worth repeating: Beastars is like a more adult-oriented version of Zootopia. This anime visually represents white people and femininity with herbivores and people of color and masculinity with predators to explore issues surrounding race, sexuality, persecution, and self-worth. It's also incredibly horny.
In Beastars, protagonist Legosi is a wolf, whose monstrous appearance belies his rather gentle and caring nature. One day, Legosi meets a small rabbit, named Haru, who has a past of sleeping with different men in order to feel special. The two strike up an uneasy friendship, with Legosi's romantic feelings for Haru at odds with his predatory instincts to eat her, and Haru's fascination with Legosi contradicting her desire to flee whenever they're together. At the same time, murders of herbivore students begin to spark feelings of mistrust towards the carnivores on campus. Season 1 of Beastars is available on Netflix.
Princess Principal: Crown Handler
If you like the mystery and intrigue behind spy thrillers, but wish that they had a bit more cuteness to them, look no further than Princess Principal. Though most of the anime features bloody executions, gut-wrenching betrayals, and surprising revelations, there are also moments of just cute characters doing cute things. Crown Handler is a six-part film that acts as a sequel to the original series, which aired in 2017.
In Princess Principal, Ange and Dorothy are spies for the democratic-run Commonwealth, posing as students in order to infiltrate the monarch-run Kingdom in hopes of toppling the current leadership. They befriend and find allies in Princess Charlotte, who wants the crown, and Beatrice, a close friend of the princess. Chise, an exchange student from Japan sent to spy on both sides so that her country can take advantage of the conflict, joins their crew, and together the five undergo a series of espionage, sabotage, and assassination missions. Season 1 of Princess Principal is available on Hidive and Amazon Prime Video.
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